Drying apparatus



June 7,1927.

F. HEAD DRYNG APPAATUS Filed Jan. 7. 1926 AL63L483 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m"muuu ATTORNEY June 7,1927.

F. HEAD DRYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 7. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORATTORNEY vlO a, isa

Patented .l une nnANcIs rrnAi3Q-v-or NEW'YonKgN. vl v;

.i :DRYING APPARATUS l Application led J'annary yThe invention relates`to apparatus-,for f drying coatedor uncoated flexible` materials vvorindefinite length, such', for eaample, asvoil cloth,ivall paper, etc'.

ficcordingt'o presentpractice it is common to employ n drying sticksupon lwhich the niaterial is supported in the iorm',l of loops,- and tofeed these sticks ivith'the fabric' Ysupported y vthereon through adryingchamber. ln order fthat thedrying of the materialtshall jkeep paceivith the printing, coating, ior other prior joperationen :themateriahit` hasbeen vfound expedient to decrease the longitudinal Y speed of thes ticksand fabricfthrough vthe drying chamber so'that agreat.' length ofmaterial may-be accommodated, and ,devices Y for elEecti-ng'suchdecrease in speed Within the drying chamberl have hereto'tore beenemployed.` But in all prior devices of which I am aware, this has beenaccomplished with devices in vwhich the drying sticks were not I-permanently attached tothe chainsor Vother flexible travelling meanswhich. servedgto move the sticks forwardly through the chamber. Wlherethe sticks thus looselyY engage the chains which move-them tor-Ward'theyare liable to be displaced or't'all from they chains 'With resultingdamage Ato the Y material, Whichmay be of serious consequence.;y

In .such an Varrangementl it is also necessary either to return thema-tothelentranceend of l xthe'machinc manually or byY machinery of acomplicated nature. vBy permanently attach ingV the sticks to thecarrying chains, anddef visingmeans to give different speeds to thesticks atV different points thereof, I `am *able yto obvi ate lthedifficulties i inherent in t prior constructionsivhile retaining-,the-beneiits derive'd from slowfspe'ed Vofthepabricthrough f "permanentattachment of 'the sticks `to'V their carrying and moving means, f

The invention vconsists in they imvel'mecl'ia'-A nism vhereinafter idescribed and claimed. lt maybe embodied in differenti forms but theAbest form now Vknown to vme Will be fde- ,a scribed, reference i beinghad to the yaccom` a panying drawings'illustrating the same.

Inthe annexed drawings :tj Y' Figure l is adiagramrnatiefyiew ingi'avertical section through the drying. chamber villustrating.,the` foldsof the 'ina- 7, 1.92am` serial No. 79,758.

Vfing chaingL V Fig. 2 is a throughthe upperportion of-adryingchamlongitudinal vverticaly section bedried andthe endlessjsticklcarry-Vber,showing parts Voit the mechanism :in dei 1 Fig is atop plan'fvieWof one'"side.there-f,y y

oh` illustrating'qthe i relation Vo n the stick carrying andfstickmoving y,cl'iafinsiA v per' therefor, online '4e-4 of Fig. 3 ;A

Y Fig. 'flea 3; lug.

5 is" a' crossA sectiony on" line 545er a 1 v y 70. Gfis afrontfelevation. of the chain i i 1g, 4; isanenlargedtvie'w ot'fasprocket Wheel, stick carrying chamfand chain stripstripper, showing its'relation'l tothe sprocket .'Wheel and chain;y and a l p f f i Fig.17.1sa detail .view s howingthe stick moving chain Igaging lugs.

Referring .to the dra'iyvingsin1detail, in

p 12 provided withv stick en-V which .the samefreferencel'num'eral isfused throughout. to` designate the ^same part, a drying chamberv 1,-111Whichheatedfair is circulated in any .suitable Way, is provided-at fthe" entra-nce. end `with a slot ,2, 'through l which enters thematerial 3V `(hereinafter over a' guide,'h''hereinshovvn as 'a' roll,suitplurality lot sticks 5 Xed: to a'pairotendvless-chains 6, engagingsprocket Wheels 7, 7 V of Vthefsame size, yat opposite ends of thevchambenl, by means ofvvhi'chthe fabricfis l formed into loops 8 fandcarried v'slon/lyv l.through `the drying' chamber`v1mechanisatihe'reinaft'er to be described-,1fromV which 4it suitablevreceiving rolliQnot 'shovvn).; f

'ably supported in the drying' chamber, and successive points thereofvare engaged by, a p

finally vv'passes through a slot" 9. at thefeXit i end thereof, V `Whereit inaybe Woundpn fa,

called fabric) to be Vd`ried. Thelfabric passes I j a 85. p a

" During-the loop formingv period at the'en-i. i

trancee'nd ofthe drying, chamber-the sticks," 1 Linthe embodiment 'nowcontemplated, are" rabout .24*inchesapart, fromcenter to cenr ter, butby apparatus tofb'ehereinafter` de?rk 'scribedv they-are lnestedtogetherA sonasv y.to about S'inches apart, and While so nested; theyare passed slowly throughthe drying chain- Eber, Vunderv the; control'ofi af pair ofstick l fer-red, arrangedontsideofthe/stick'4 carrying' fi" chains at oppositesides of the-cliamber.` By SO "nest'lg thedTYlQQSCkS vthe. QlOOPS i 8. ii

the; 'fabric brought asv close together as t 1s.` pract1cable "'whilepreventing lactual sprocket Wheels.

gagement of one fold With another. At the folds near the exit end of thechamber, the sticks are separated to the initial distance and are movedat the initial speed.l this arrangement the fabric nioves'out of theVdrying chamber at the same speed as it enters, but it is moved slowlyat an intermediate point, whereby the fabric has ample time to dry, anda large quantity of fabric may be accommodated. The mechanism forYeffecting these motions will now be 1described.

Shafts 10, l10' are suitably mount-ed in the drying chambeigshaft 10'lbeingthe driving shaft, driven by any suitable means not shoivn)`,andfromk which isdriven the shaft :10 at the entrance end bya'ny suitableinvtermediate gearing. For this purpose, in

the'einbodimentshown, l employ chains and Shaft 10' has fixed there toat opposite ends, the sprocket Wheels 7 #(only one of Which is shown),and shaft 10 has jIiXed thereto sprocket Wheels 7 (only of which engagesprocket Wheels 13, 13', ro-

tatably mounted on fixed shafts 14h t', inside of butiiear shaftslO,10.', respectively, so that the upper runs of the chains 12 will be,rvin substantially theesaine planev as tlie'stick-.carrying chain-6, asindicated in Fig. YThe stick-moving chains '12 are moredniuch moreslowly than the Ystick- ,carr ine' chain 6 b an7 suitable Oearinfiz l)7, L d t: h

Herein I have.shownsprocket vWheels and chains geared to the drivingshaft 10'.V

yFixed to driving shaft 10' is la sprocket Wheel 15, abouto1ie-.tliirdthe-diameter, in

the embodiment shown, of the sprocket Wheel .7', A sprocket chain 16 `is4`driven-by the sprocket Wheel 15, Whichin turn drives a sprocket Wheel17 l,fixed toa hub 18 4rotating freely on the fixed shaft 14',ballrbearn i Vings being preferably employed.

Fixed-to the saniehub 18 1s another sprocket Wheel 13', abovereferredto. Which is engaged b the, stick moving chain 12. The 0330- y c ll sitebightof the stick iiioving chain 12 engages sprocket Wheel of the sainesize as sprocket wheel 13'.. vSprocket Wheel 13 is fixed Vto a `hiiblthfto which is also 'fixed another' sprocket VWheel 20., of thesaine size as sprocket yWheel 17, Lthe hub VV19 .rotating freely onfixedshaft 114-. "A sprocket chain 21 engages sprocket Wheel 20 anddrivesr another.sprocketv wheel 22,Y ofv the strippers 31 the .l-iiil`rrated from the sprocket Wheels;l

Vsaine size as sprocketV Wheel 15, fixed to a hub 23 secured to shaft10, to which vthe sprocket Wheel 7, engaged by the stick carrying chain6,v is also fixed. Another sprocket Wheel 24 is also fixed to sha-ft 10,and drives a'sprocket chain 25, Which, in turn, drives a sprocket ivheel26, ofv the saine size as sprocket Wheel 211, fixed, to a hub 27,rotating freely on fixed shaft 1&1. lTo the hub 27 is 'fi-XedV asprocket'vvheel 28, of the same size as sprocket Wheels 7, 7', both ofwhich are engaged by the links of the stick' carrying chain 6. It willbe observed that the gear ratio between the driving shaft 10' and thesprocket ivheel13', which gives nio'- tion to the stick-moving chains12, is 3 to 1, whereby the speed of chains 12 lis only onethird of Athespeed of the stick carrying 'chains 6 at vthe ventrance and exitv endsthedrying chamber. The gear ratio yat' the opposite end is, of course,made kto accord, soV as to move the stick carrying chains 6 at thesamespeed atthe entrance and exit endsbcfore and after the sticks are out ofengagement with the low speed stick nieving c`hainsf12, which controlstheir motion through the central portion of the drying chamber', ashereinafter described.

As the sticks 5 arenioved past the innen end loops or bights of the.stick'moviiig chai-ns 12,'the ends 5' thereof are engaged by the linksof this chain, Which thereafter controls the speed of forward motion ofthe sticks. The sticks mayV be carried alongl merely by frictioiialengagement thereof ivitli the chains 12, or, if desired, chains 12 maybe provided, at intervals, with-projections 29, Which positively engagethe ends 5', as `'indicated in Fig. 7. 'llhe'length of the stickcarrying chains 6 vbetween silnock`V et Wheels 13""and 28,'betiveenWhich sprocket Whe-els the chain is slack, is such as topermit thechains Gto'be of loops 30.

In the `forward movement of ythe Vchains over sprocket wheels23 theslack in the chain would permit its links to remain'in formed into aseries 'engagement' with the sprocketivheel. @rdi-V e narily it woulddisengage itself therefrom, i'

but to insure such `disengagcment strippers' 31 areprovided (sce Figs.1- and which consist of members `Whose lower ends are suitably supportedin the drying chamber`l` and whose upper ends are. sloted asiiidicatedat 32, forming arms 33, 33'rivhich lstraddler the teeth 'of the.sprocket Wheels "23, lying underneathA the vchain G and slightllvinclined from al vertical. plane. Aits the chains are carried intoengagement. vwith the Near the exit end of. the drying chamber is arepositively scpacontrol of the sticks, L"is-the ends` 5.' of il :jvsticks. pass off the ends ofgthesecliains and K arebrought undercontrolof-the inorerapid-V V...ly lmoving stick carrying chains 6.VlAtitliis Cn A baseu89 of which restsupon Ithe framework yof thedrying`V chamber, anda side 40 of which extends upwardly alongside theendsof the-sticks 5. f v

.point the4 loops 301m the chains are taken, up, and to assistfinsinoothly and` surely lstraightening outV the' chains YV6, I provideguard vmembers 3st-, against which ythe for Ward portionsof `the "loopssuccessively enp gage, and over which the chains are drawn in thestraightening movement.

` Near the exit 'and 'entrance ends, the

. chains Gare supported by suitableguides 35,;` V35. (Figs. 2-and 3),'rsuitably fixed tothe .fraineworkfof the. drying-chamber, and the upper'and lower runs of .chainsl2 aresupp portedA by similar guides 36, 37.Iii-order to keep. the sticks v*from sidewise movement, an L-beani 38(Figs. 3 and is employed, the

. Operation: The flexibl i Y to the slowly moving chains l2, the lweightof the'fabrie between the guide 4: and the mov-' Ving stick 5 causes itto drop back of the 0nwardly moving 'stick to form a succeeding looptherein, and so on indefinitely duringv the operation of the machine. Asthe ends 5 ofthe sticks 5 pass beyond the inner end loop or bights ofthe chains 12 rthe slack in chains 6 permit suchends 5 to drop onto thechains 12 by whichfthey are thereafter carried along toward the eXit endof the chamber. In the embodiment shown theA chains 12' move at onlyone-third the initial speed of chains 6, consequently a stick which hasbeen n "transferred tothe control of chains 12 will have moved butone-third of the distance ,which thestick moved whileunder the con-Vtrol-of the stick-carrying chains 6 during the same time interval, fromwhich it follows `that vthe sticks willbe nested onthe stickloopsincidentally formed ingthe chains by *the nest-in'gof the sticksis drawnout, and

moving chains 12,l which they are slowly moved through thedryingchamber, Vin this nested relation, toward lthe eXit end. As the stickspass out of control of the slowly moving chains Vl2 they are v`again.brought under Ythe control ,oft-lie more. rapidly moving stick-carryingchains' 6, through which the i the speed of the fabric is increased toits inifea tial speed', whereby the fabrie'is fed out o f the drying'chamberat lthe saine speed as it- -is fedinto itlif Thereafter thefabric is han-k dled in the .way knowntothe art. n It will belapparentfrom the :above description ythat I.l have devisedan .apparatus-i whichwill effectively attain the objects- .the terms of the above4 indicated,wherein thegsticks ari-iper# inanently attached to their-,carryingmeans, thussecuring certaintyin their functioning at all-timesandavoiding damagetothemap teriaL, 'wherein complicated mechanism for.

returning the sticksl to initial position is `disy pensed with,whileretainingthe known feature of nest-ing lthe sticks' atiiii-intermediate portion of `their [travel through thedrying chamber andmoving,themnsowly therw l. through, a

lWhile I have'. describedl a specific ment of the invention', it isVobvious that'the various 'fea tures thereof may. 'be modified,

F or example, other.,gea'riiigniay, 'be-"emf ployed for giving'dider'entspeeds to-,the

ends Vand .intermediateportion of therstick-l 4 carrying chains, andmany 1 other.v changes.

may be:madefwithout4v departing fromithe principles hereinr disclosed.;lIt is vtherefore d to beunderstood that thexinvention is` not confinedto the details described butthat Ait y includesjall structurescomprehended'.vvithin., n

appended claims. ,Icla'imL Y Y. w

l. In a drying apparatus, in combination,

.a drying `chamber.'Qaii endless, flexible stick, carrier.; dryingsticks fiXedt-hereto; meansV for giving a continuous travelling motionto,A

`the carrier and means-for nesting thesticks in an intermediate portionof the, stick can 'riei' and for moving them continuously ata 510W Speedwhile so nested.V

Y 2. In drying apparatus, in combination, I va, drying chamber; anendless, {ieXible stick carrier; drying sticks fixed thereto; meansfor-giving a continuous "travellinginotion to the carrier; in eansforgiving thezsticks aV slow motion during their passage through'aiii'iitermediate portion of the drying chamthan' the carrier; jaiidVAmeans `to transfer control of the sticksl fromthe stick carrier to`the. stick moving ineinber.

ber comprising a stickin'oving memberrary i'aiigedvalongslde theflexibleV `carrier and" provided with means to move itat less speed- Thecombiiialtion specifiedk in claimy `2 of the sticks. i f Y Thecombination 'specified inclaim'2 in V which the means totransfer.controlfof the' sticks from the stick carrierf- 'to thefsticklff .ino-ving member consists fof ,a sprocket .Wheel engaged bytl'ie stick' lcarrier anda stripper;

to stripthe"carriertlierefrom. f

1oiisi sts of chains the'nti-me oftheir transfer. Y

in. which there are 'means' for: forming the' i cai-'rierinto loops atthegpoint of transfer 5.-'i`he` combination lSpecified in'V claim 2 f nin which tliegstick carrie@` and sprocket .wheelsto 'drive the sainewith' additional means to strip the'` chains Vfrom v y. the sprocketwheels to "forinloops therein at y.

In drying apparatus, in combination,

a drying chamber;` parallelendless :stickcari' 7in chains' di' in@`sticks iXed thereto sprocket wheels' at; opposite fends of the chamberengaged by the chains; intermediy V.terminatingshort of. the ends of theupper l0 ate sprocket Wheels near the entrance end of the clianiberalsoengaged by the stick- .carrying chains; a setzof endless stick-Inovingchains outside or. ythe ystick-carrying chainsv andin substantially thesaine horizontal plane and having end loops or bights runs of thestick-carrying chains and over Whi'eh-stick-moving Chains the ends ofthe sticks extend; and means to move the stickinoving Chains in thesaine direction as the stick-carrying chains but at less speed.

7; The Combination Vspecified in claini 6 with ineens to forni loops inthestick-earryl "trol ofthe sticks cha-ins,

Ving'oliains attlie point of transfer of con- 1' 8. The Combinationspecified in claini ,(i With iiie'ans to forni loops 1n the stick-Carrying Chains atv the point of transfer oi coiitroi ofl the sticks to themore slowly movingchains, and with a chainguard at the opposite end ofche drying chamber to insure the 'elimination or such loops.

9. In drying apparat-us, in combination,

to the niore slowly moving,

chains, and having; their endV loops inside, said sprocket Wheels;drying sticks fixed to the Stick-'carrying chains having their outerends extendinfY over the stick-invng` chains to be engagedV and niovedthereby; llike sprocket wheels engaging the end .loops of thestiek-nioving, chains; ineens to rotate the sprocket- .Wlieels of liestick-carrying Chains at the saine speed; and nieans to ro tate thesprocket Wheels of the sticknioving` chains but at suoli speed that thestick-'niorf ing Chains,.ivhich control .the rate of Inove-`mentrof'tlie sticks at zin-intermediate,por-

oarrying chains 'at opposite .ends Y of. the chamber.

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANCIS HEAD.;

v'tion oi their ytransit through the.l drying chamber, is ninch lessthan thatfofthestick

